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11 signs you were born and raised in California

By Jarret Leong On April 10,
2014 · 275
Comments

Photo: Linda
Tanner

1. You’ve never called it “Cali.”

The only people who call it “Cali” aren’t from California. It’s not that
anyone has to tell you not to say it, people just don’t. I think it’s a respect
thing. It feels almost like calling your mother by her first name. I’m cringing
just thinking about it.

2. Burritos are a constant topic of conversation while abroad.

My Japanese friend was convinced that “you know Californians miss home when
they start talking about burritos.” True enough, in-depth discussions about
missing our burrito joints of choice would come up even more often than being
apart from our families.

Burritos are a unifying part of the Californian experience — black, Asian,
gay, poor, rich, or Ke$ha, you love a dank-ass burrito.

3. Other English speakers don’t understand your English.

Speaking of dank-ass food, we don’t speak the same English other Americans
do. Sometimes phrases like, “How gnar was that shit?” or, “James was hella
butthurt so he just bailed” do warrant translation.

4. You’ve asked someone, “Why do you live there?”

A pissed off Rhode Islander came up to me one afternoon. “God you
Californians suck so bad!” I asked her why. “Whenever I say I’m from Rhode
Island, they just ask me why. Like, why do I live somewhere that isn’t
California.” I tried to sympathize, but honestly I have no idea why anyone would
want to live in Rhode Island.

More
like this: 12 sure signs you were born and raised in Los Angeles

5. Living somewhere rainy makes you seriously depressed.

I was living in Taipei for a while, which despite being a super fun party
town, has some of the suckiest weather outside of London. After months of grey
weather I was bummed for no real reason until one day, in a quiet alleyway, the
sun finally muscled its way through the clouds and onto my skin. I was
immediately way happier.

Later, when my friends visited me, they expressed sincere concern about my
state of being because I was no longer tan. We are a solar-powered people.

6. You’re the best fucking driver around.

People complain about Californian drivers like we suck or something. Quite
the contrary! We have more practice than anybody at it, weaving through lanes
and circumventing traffic with our eyes closed. Our skills can shave 20 minutes
off a drive in traffic that would reduce lesser drivers into sobbing lumps of
existential despair. And yeah, we know this is bad for the environment. We
assuage our guilt with compost heaps and Priuses. Prii?

7. You act all tough whenever there’s an earthquake.

“Oh you think that was bad? You shoulda been there for Northridge, now that
was a gnarly quake,” you tell those scared non-Californians after a little
rumble. True, we have a lot more experience with earthquakes than most people,
but they still scare us. Not that we’re going to admit it, though.

8. Snow kinda freaks you out.

Sure you go snowboarding in the winter, but snow is a pretty foreign concept
off the slopes.

More
like this: Where to see underground music in LA

Last time I was in Brooklyn it was a particularly chilly December evening. I
was walking out of the subway when the road looked kind of weird. “Dude, snow!”
I said to the guy next to me. “Yeah, what about it?” he said. “Dude!” I said, at
a lost for words. He shook his head and walked away.

9. You’ve got a special PCH playlist.

Driving Pacific Coast Highway is a special occasion. It’s usually a day when
you’re not in a terrible rush slogging around on the 5, and you can really roll
down the windows and enjoy the smell of the sea. What’s actually on the list is
really personal, but you can never go wrong with the Beach Boys.

10. You have an incorrigible avocado habit.

In other parts of the country, avocados are an expensive luxury. I’ve seen
New Yorkers cradling a sorry-looking avocado they just paid three dollars for.
We just put avocados on everything because their creamy decadence makes all of
our fresh food taste even better.

11. In-N-Out, dude.

I can’t write an article about California without any mention of what
In-N-Out means to us. We have access to every variety of gourmet burger
imaginable, from Kobe beef patties to buns make out of ramen, but all these
weird permutations are only brief distractions from the pure burger bliss of
In-N-Out.

It’s the perfect harmony of the fresh tomato and lettuce. It’s the lightly
toasted bun. The thicker than Kim Kardashian milk shakes. That
gross-but-satisfying post burger onion breath. In-N-Out doesn’t ever change it’s
menu, because there is no improving on perfection. Any Californian who has ever
left California for an extended period of time knows that coming in for a Double
Double Animal Style is the only homecoming ceremony that means anything.

East Coast idiots might try to tell you that Shake Shack or Five Guys Burgers
and Fries1 are comparable, even better, but their taste is suspect;
they live on the wrong coast, after all.

1Sorry, but that place should definitely be a sausage joint. Just
saying.

More
like this: 10 signs you're still a tourist in San Francisco

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46 incredible aerial shots of famous places The land that calls me back

About The Author

Jarret Leong

Jarret is a writer and picnic enthusiast based in Los Angeles. He says dude
too much. Check his blog at croissant.squarespace.com [email-masked].

More By This Author

Where to see underground music in LA

view all → Jarret
Leong

sthrendyle

as a Canadian, it kills me that I cannot move to La Jolla shores or San
Clemente or Seal Beach, like, right now.

alicia

It kills most people in Cali

j

U must mean California. We don’t care when we live in La Costa and go
to La Jolla shores when the tourists are gone. Plus we were born and
raised here and like to show how San Francisco does it wrong every once in
a while.

suckmy balls

all three of those places suck, seal beach is on the edge of the
ghetto/barrio/largest port on the west coast (gross dirty and nasty)

la jolla shores is for snobs and overpaid ceo’s
and san clemente is
poor tweakers on top of rich tweakers.

your doing it wrong

sthrendyle

that is some harsh localism there, suckmy! You have nothing to fear
from my (lack of) surfing ability. OK, so Encinitas, it
is.

Suqa Mahd Eek

Born and raised in san clemente, not gonna lie there are tons of
retards, but for the most part, a cool community all together. Some of the
most down to earth and genuine people come out of this town, you should
get your shit straight before saying stuff like that. Where are you from
anyway?

Manistiquenativ

you’re spelling ‘you’re’ wrong.

flutiefan

Long Beach is awesome, not “ghetto/barrio”.

Colm Fitzgerald

The title should be “11 signs you were born and raised in SOUTHERN
California”

http://waycooltech.wordpress.com
Steve Kovsky

Very true. Northern California is a completely different
country.

kellymbray

Are they American citizens up there?

Jim Vasconcellos

Yes, especially the folks who make your ability to use the internet
possible.

http://toejamsonmarketing.wordpress.com/
Joe Hanson

FTFY: Make apps that you use on the internet.

Source: I work there.

socal ranger

only communists, hippie burn outs, socialists, info theives, pot
snobs, and rich politicians. and democrats.

Sherwin
Razmy

You obviously are ignorant and you never visited Southern
California. I am one and I know patraiotic, independents and
conservatives who served in the military with me. Yes there are rich
politicians but show me where there are not rich politicians. Not
everyone from CA is a prius driving, weed smoking hippy tree humper.
Just like not everyone from Alabama is a toothless
redneck.

MoistPup

Sherwin: if they were real patriots they wouldn’t be conservatives.
You can’t hate 86% of all Americans and claim you’re pro-America.
(Women 52% + gays ~5% + blacks 13% + latinos 16.9% =
~86%)

https://twitter.com/SoCalReformed
SoCalReformed

A true Conservative believes in Life, Liberty, and Property rights
for all Americans, born and unborn. It is the Liberal socialist
do-gooder that wants to meddle in our daily lives by continuing to
classify people on various bases, thereby keeping people divided, and
forcing the heavy hand of the State to crush individual
liberties.

kathy
christensen

Hey, if it wasn’t for those radical liberals your money would have
a queen on it right now, and we’d be spelling “color” like this:
“colour”. The conservatives fought AGAINST Independence. You’re
welcome.

lazerhaze

Remind me again what about ” life, liberty and property rights” is
involved in fighting to keep the poor from health care &
contraception? Marriage equality, How about immigration reform? The
conservative mantra is nothing but a hypocritical
slur.

Gabriel
Ruiz

Terrible arithmatic my friend. Using your numbers it would be
(~52% women with ~5% gays about ~54.5%. ~13% of the remaining ~45.5%
is ~6% so we are up to 60.5%. Now we add ~16.9% of ~45.5% percent to
that which is ~7.6%, leaving us with a total of ~68.1%). So you were
off by 17.9 points my friend. And you are making it sound like being
conservative you HAVE to hate those people. I highly doubt that even
half of all conservatives hate even one of those classifications of
people.

https://twitter.com/SoCalReformed
SoCalReformed

<—– Southern California native, and unabashed Christian
Constitutionalist Conservative. And there are more of us – right here
in SoCal.

lazerhaze

Exactly why So Cal is shit

underground72

Not true just the people you associate with are Christian
Constitutionalist.

lazerhaze

Have you been to Alabama? I lived in Florence for a year. YES THEY
ARE ALL TOOTHLESS HICKS.

yaknowhat?

Then why do a lot of them have teeth?

Guest

Say that after we cut your water supply off.

kellymbray

You must be the last member of the John Birch Society. Make sure
you turn the lights out when you leave the
clubhouse.

Fredo

you must be one of those trailer trash, ignorant, inbred,
frustrated school shooter because you are ignorant and stupid, hobo
bearded looking, raccoon and squirrel eating bastard who slept with
his own momma and square dances, poor, toothless and beer belly
bastard that goes to church on sunday to say sorry for sleeping with
his own daughter from the south. Oh, and yes, we defeated your sorry
ass on th civil war because you are all born without
balls.

https://twitter.com/SoCalReformed
SoCalReformed

I find it hysterical that all these anti-Conservative comments come
from no-name anonymous handles. Yellow cowards.

Guest

Yes & we don’t have to deal with many
hillbillies

Chloe Neilson

Agree 1,000%.

http://www.stayadventurous.com/ craig
zabransky

I was just about to write this… my thoughts exactly. #StaySoCal,
Craig

Vinniyo

I know! Lol. I’m in la and have lived all across Cali… Yes, I called it
Cali. Fresno born, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Culver City, Thousand Oaks and
North Hollywood and I’ve never called anything but weed “dank”.
The one
thing that I feel trumps everything on this list is tritip! If you’re from
California you probably don’t even know that some east coasters don’t even
know what it is.

Jim Vasconcellos

YES! Tritip must be added to the list. That cut of meat was created at
the Safeway in Santa Maria!

Kristina

I had no idea that was from Santa Maria/not everyone knows what
tritip was. That was a staple of high school dinner
fundraisers

monkey man from Santa Maria

Yup and on Saturday every street corner is a santa Maria style bbq
pit with ribs and tri tip

Melodee

Wow, I’m learning so much about tri-tip right now. LOL Much better
than the argument going on above.

Dylan Hallman

I had never heard the term dank until I moved up to the Pacific
Northwest. Definitely not a “I grew up in California” thing. But yeah,
stop saying Cali.

Rich

I’ve used the term dank since middle school. Maybe more of a stoner
cultural term than a regional one, but that word was definitely tossed
around casually since my childhood.

Andrew Victor Noce

Tri-tip is where it is at. That should be numero uno on this
list

bircall

Then we might as well make the entire list about Californian
foods.

Pete Biondi

Closest thing on the east is London broil, like californians done know
what a delmonico steak cut us

Dee Cee Peters Dahl

All this talk about meat…a lot of us Californians are VEGETARIAN!!!
We don’t need no stinking meat!!! Save the planet…save the animals…hug a
tree…you know that’s where it’s at!!!

Gabriel
Ruiz

I am one to try and stop global warming! I kill the problem, cows
produce all this carbon monoxide and eating the oxygen producing,
carbon filtering plants. I eat as many as I can any given day. Save
the planet!

yaknowhat?

If no one ate them, they’d stop cow mass
production.

Dee Cee Peters
Dahl

ha ha ha Gabriel…good try…cost too much money to raise those cows!
Eat your veggies!!!

https://twitter.com/SoCalReformed SoCalReformed

If you’re a Californian, and you call it, “Cali,” then you’re a
poseur.

simoncabron

Except that ‘hella’ is a northern CA slang.

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

That’s only one example to a point that also has a more SoCal example
too.

Aria Jo Klein

i think they did a mix cus california but i have to say, i’m from so
cal and i’ve always said hella. I think it made its way
somehow.

Sporkfighter

SoCal stops at Pendelton. San Diego is not
“SoCal”.

nomatophobia

If San Diego isn’t “SoCal”, what is it?

[email-masked]

A mexican suburb.

[email-masked]

(Tijuana del Norte…)

nomatophobia

Okay…is that a bad thing or a good thing? I don’t know if that was
a stab at humor or not.

underground72

It’s a bad racist thing towards Latinos..Basically, San Diego is
the key area where South Americans mainly Mexican illegals cross the
border to the U.S. They mostly take up residence in San Diego or L.A.
Camp Pendleton the military base is the first place you reach leaving
the Los Angeles and Orange County area before you hit San
Diego.

Joseph
Dang

That’s actually Chula Vista, otherwise known as
Chulijuana

John
Costantino

Better.

Sporkfighter

San Diego is in the southern-most part of California, but nobody
here says they live in “SoCal”. That’s an LA/OC
expression.

nomatophobia

I’ve lived in San Diego all my life and have heard “SoCal” used
quite a bit. We are, in fact, Southern California, despite irritating
slang. I only seem to hear the terms relating to Mexico as someone
attempting to be an ass. Our Mexican culture is one of the greatest
things about San Diego.

Jordan

It’s funny because San Diego Doesn’t even use SoCal gas they have
their own utility.

Lorene
Belisama

You know, Baja California is still California…I hope that irritates
all the creepy racist people.
True Californians embrace all the
cultures represented here.

Hempy
mchemperson

No idea where that opinion comes from but it’s dead wrong, and
honestly just a really weird thing to say.

kots

but you realize you do live in socal…. lmao

not matter how much you wish you lived somewhere else, you are in
fact a socal resident

Sporkfighter

People who live in San Francisco are not “Frisco” residents because
that’s what tourists call it. Nobody I know calls the place we live
socal. It’s just not the name of the place. Transplants who watched
too much Baywatch? Yeah, that’s what they call
it.

Eric

That’s because San Diegans don’t want to sully themselves with the
dirt of LA/OC!

Eric

Seriously, right? San Diego is the best part of
California!

Matt
Ackerman

Yeah it’s the nice part of Tijuana

GGG – DTOM

It’s funny you libs think that civil war was only about slavery –
states right anyone? Oh, and lest you forget Lincoln was a
Republican…

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix
WixosTrix

I have no idea what you’re referring to, but lest not forget
Republicans of past are a far cry from the ones we see
today.

Eric

States’ rights to have slaves, haha; are you freaking serious? If
you really believe that slavery was not the primary component of the
Civil War, then you must have been “educated” in the South. I spent
1st and 2nd grade there, and my lack of education would have been
hilarious had I not gotten ahead beforehand in Ohio, and pushed
through a proper education program in Maryland. I feel so sorry for
“students” in Florida and Texas.

[email-masked]

WTF is a ‘hella’ dude?

And if you call it “the OC”… you aren’t.

Hempy mchemperson

It’s a nor cal expression. Example: that was hella good beer. I have
to say I actually hate it. It’s always sounded super dense to me.
There’s a South Park episode about it that’s hilarious.

kots

except trey parker and matt stone use ‘hella’ themselves in both
other episodes and often interviews.

the episode was making fun of it in a positive light.

its funny when people incorrectly frame things to strengthen their
argument though

Hempy
mchemperson

no one in southern california says freakin hella. It’s common usage
starts about an hour north of san luis obispo.

Nat Vee

i’d say i’m pretty south and I do hear it over here. I don’t hear
gnarly though, or gnar. do people actually say that? Do i have to hang
out with more surfers?

Rich

I hear it all the time…but I am from San Diego and I did go to UC
Santa Barbara for college.

Hobbesnblue

And I have never said “gnarly” in my life. Because I was not raised on
the set of Point Break.

kots

go to southern california, namely santa barbara or ventura county and
youll hear it within the first day

Eric

Yes, but I heard “gnarly” on the east coast back in 1985, so it’s
hardly a west coast exclusive. I remember reading the word “hella” in
a Metallica EP back in 1989, and I had no idea what Hammett meant
until I moved to east bay SF in 1995.

Jim Vasconcellos

Hear hear.

Dylan Hallman

For sure. I’ve lived in both. This is way too Southern California
influenced.

Dee Cee Peters Dahl

Let’s not battle…I’m Southern California…born and raised…lived here
probably longer than most of you since I’m an old lady! I LOVE ALL of
California…would not live anywhere else. I am in San Diego County…we are a
little different than the Orange Co and LA group, but that’s what makes us
great! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, Northern California. I find you folks more open
minded and liberal than some of my Southern California neighbors…Let’s not
ever change! Diversity is what makes us WONDERFUL and the absolute ENVY of
the rest of the WORLD!!! ♥♥♥

Justus Bradshaw

For most of them, yeah. But we don’t talk like that in Southern
California.

Sam

Southern Californians do not say “hella” or “hecka” that’s a Norcal
thing.

I shudder every time I hear it said.

Jocelynn A Rubio

I’m from NorCal…say it all the time XD

Manistiquenativ

get over yourself, dude. seriously, you shudder? hella hecka hella
hecka hella hecka you shuddering yet? chill out w some girl scout cookies
and stop the shakes.

Joseph Dang

My wife went to school in Davis, but we’re both from San Diego. Went to
hang out with her friends in the Bay area and Sacramento. “Hella” and
“Hecka” galore.

So it got me thinking, if we SoCal’iens don’t say Hella, wtf do we say?
I figured it out.

Norcal – It’s hella hot.
Socal – It’s hotter than a muthfracka. It’s
hot as frack. etc. etc.

Pry

We say that too though. So really, you’re just hella mothafuckin
boring in Sunny-D. We like to mix it up old skool up in the nooty shakes
yo. I’m a tree huggin prius driver who gets down on the Tri-Tip too.
Even Mr. Pickles has Tri-Tip Tuesdays every week cuz we’ll fuck that
shit up!
When it comes to free-ways though.. it’s all about 5
North/South and 80 East/West. No “The” hammy.

Scott

No one from Southern California says “hella”. Argument
ended.

flutiefan

i do. have since 1993 when a bunch of NorCal peeps moved down for
college. and i know a ton of Southern CAers who say it. sorry to burst
your bubble.

Allie Reina

Everything on this list applies to the bay area too. Can’t speak for the
rest of norcal, but in the bay we live on the san andreas fault line, put
avocados on everything,eat burritos as well as in-n-out and san jose has an
average 300 days of sunshine out of the year. Also, the 5 extends along the
entire california coast, not just in southern california. lol
hatersss!

Catherine Hertzberg

EXCEPT, Interstate 5 goes up the center of the state, it doesn’t go
anywhere near the coast in any part ot the state. CA 1 is the coast
highway, joined in places by US 101. BTW, only people from SoCal say “the”
5, 101, etc.

Allie Reina

I must be from so cal then? I live in san francisco, born and raised
bay area and we take the “101″, “80″ and the “5″
everywhere.

kathy
christensen

Then you are seriously the only person from Nor Cal that I have
encountered who says. “the” before a freeway name. Are your parents
from Nor Cal? I’m old…52 yrs bred, born & raised in Marin County
before anyone knew it existed, and before people with money started
buying up the place. My mom moved to Marin at the age of 3, 1943.
And I can easily go a month without talking about a
burrito.

Guest

No lots of people in the Bay Area, Central Valley and other parts
besides so cal say “the” before it. In the valley, the main highway
going thru is always just called “the 99″ and also say “the 5″…no one
says “highway 99″ but I guess some do say “I-5.”

Momma D

N. California girl, now lives in Seattle. YES, I need SUNSHINE but we
always said “I” 5/80 or Interstate 5/80. 505, 101 and let’s not forget
680, were just numbers, no THE!!! Also if we up North suffered through
being lumped in for the South’s Valley and Surfing phase…Hella/Hecka
isn’t EVEN enough payback! I must admit, I do like to say Dude alot!

The River Temarc

Er, why? I live in Northern California and everything on the list seemed
topical (burritos, weather, In-N-Out). Maybe there’s a tad less surfer
lingo, but “hella” is definitely an SF word.

clockworks2000

Almost. He threw in the “hella” and let’s be real. Nobody south of SLO
says “hella”. You could lose friends and even relationships talking like
that.

underground72

That’s hella crazy.. lol

Joseph Erle

The writer did write the word “Hella” in the slang section and that’s not
said down in SoCal. Also, PCH goes all the way up the coast. Bay area
traffic rivals LA traffic. Anyway, thought it was a quick fun read
overall.

Allie Reina

“11 signs you were born and raised in southern california and haven’t
been anywhere else since birth”

Kristin

*the coastal areas of southern California. It was a bit hard to relate to
some of the things being from the Inland Empire.

Stefi85

I was raised in the Central Valley and can identify with most of these. I
hate rain, wouldn’t even know what to do with snow, love burritos and say
“hella” occasionally. The only reason I don’t say it regularly is because my
husband, who is from Alabama (bless his heart) gives me a serious look of
discontent every time I use it in a sentance…

Matt E.

Some of it’s funny, but I do agree it has a definite SoCal bent. I have
spent half of my life in CA and half in WA, and I refute a lot of this. I do,
however, say ‘dude’ way too much, and have expounded on the various ways one
can say it to convey different things. DUDE! dude. Duuuuuuuude.
Dude-dude-dude-dude! And, having lived in this rainy climate for so long, the
sun fucking rules.

jsfhal

lived in “cali” all my life–none of this applies to me…no wonder i fit in
better now that I live in NYC…(which is actually the greatest..why would you
live in California when you can live in NYC???)

Raellis

The weather.

David

The sun, the people, the beach, the mountains, the cities that offer a
perfect mix of urban/outdoor activity the food, the freedom, the people. I
can go on but you get the point. The SF Bay Area in particular offers a lot
more than NYC.

underground72

So true that why New Yorkers migrate there often..

guest

Because NY sucks? People have such an attitude. I’ve been there five
times all for a week and it is a disgusting urban nightmare to live in for
long periods of time.

The Un/Imposter

SPACE.

Danielle

Two words keep me from choosing NY over California, ice – storm.
I
have another Noreaster.
F that!

Carl Hyndman

Pretty spot on except for #9. Play the Beach Boys and your were labeled a
Kook when I was a kid. Only guys playing that wore Dockers and tucked in their
Tommy Bahama shirt on Casual Fridays. I was raised on Punk Rock, Hip Hop,
Skateb

Jordan Rutledge

sounds like you hung out with a bunch of douchebags, the beach boys are
the shit

Guest

Lol at the people awkwardly shaking their heads in agreement and they live
in like the Redwoods. Most of this would definitely just have to be about LA
and surrounding regions. Other than that though, I’m pretty sure people in SF
totally get that whole “rain” thing.

iDenis

Yyyyou’d be surprised about this “rain” ordeal. It happens once in a blue
moon and then the next day it’s sunnier than 15 fresh motherfuckers. This
really is a SoCal list, but quite a few of these are universal up here in
the bay.

Ian Dean

psssh, heard tons of natives call California “Cali”.

These are hit and miss.

Born in California and raised here.

The Un/Imposter

nope. we don’t call refer to our state that way. #fact

Brannon Richmond

I do.

http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

I do as well.

Jim Vasconcellos

Unfortunately, some do…I blame hip hop culture, and still SMH. I do
not consider those folks true Californians. Nor do I consider anyone who
says “Frisco” a true Californian.

Dylan Hallman

I’m sure your disapproval is met with great
sadness.

s

Born and raised in Cali and I say both. Know a ton of natives who do
the same.

Joseph Dang

Everyone outside of Frisco calls it Frisco. Fact. Frisco is but 50
square miles out of how many?

Go listen to RBL Posse “Remid Me” and tell me nobody from California
calls it Frisco

As for Cali, depends. If I’m talking to an out of stater, I may say
it.

miles

no one should call it frisco. thats fucking
stupid.

Pry

SF is just, “The City”.

Jare Leong is a little bitch.

Pssssh. I have lived in Cali my whole life. This article should be titled:
“11 Signs That The Author Of This Article Is A California Douchebag!”
Seriously, you cunt, your article sucks! “I love burritos and In-n-out! I’m
such a good driver, snow is lame, and people don’t understand me!” I hope
somebody skull-fucks you with an avocado, and you get AIDS in jail, you twat.
Stick to getting eaten by great-white sharks while surfing, you degenerate
loser. DIE IN A FIRE!

Canniballer

Wow if you’re from SoCal you should know to chill the fuck out cray

Canniballer!? FAAAAAAG!

Now don’t go getting all hella butthurt and bail!

James

Damn, bitch, take a midol.

underground72

Thanks for the laugh…

The Un/Imposter

Is that you, grandma?

Russell

Arguing on the internet is like running in the Special Olympics… even if
you win you’re still retarded.

underground72

I’m reusing that saying..

mistachiclettes

Wow brah you fuckin mad bro?!

thisguy is onthe cheeseburgr

you are definately from somewhere in cali as i can see your meds ran
out….

Anonymous

This is not a nice comment. Wishing death upon a person even in a joking
manner is immature, yes, but also very cruel and unnecessary especially in
response to someone’s personal opinion.

Chelchwick

I like you.

Sparky

The only thing I can’t relate to is being ‘solar powered’. I actually get
depressed when I don’t get any rain. BUT… there kind of is nothing like breezy
70 degree weather and a day at the beach. I don’t think I’ll ever leave
California.

nate

clearly, you’ve never been to rhode island. We’re a dope city surrounded
by beaches and ocean, and weed, and everything is 20 minutes away. what’s not
to love?

missingmycaliforniaweather

I love California. Umm I have heard people from both norther and southern
California switch between both “Cali and California.” The hippy lifestyle is
still quite alive and everyone gets a taste of the history. Not a fan of
Hollywood but it is there and you can see it. No matter what part of the
state you are from you will have a love for Disney. In N Out is fabulous.
The school system is very broken in my personal opinion but one of the
greatest things I appreciated about it was the diversity. You have a much
higher chance to experience many different cultures with all the groups of
people who have traveled there from all across the world, or their families
have. NYC is amazing but the mix of people is restrained to a asmall area of
land. California is much larger and has just as many different groups of
people. The state government needs work but which state doesn’t need to be
fixed? All in all if you haven’t been there you are definitely missing
out.

missingmycaliforniaweather

Snow, all of your state experiences snow. That in itself is a reason not
to “love” it. In california you can choose whether or not you want to live
in snow. Most of us choose to live in gorgeous wine country, by the beach or
in prosperous agricultural valleys. Yeah….drugs are a big deal here. You
also lack the avocado and perfect waves california beaches have. Your speed
limits are way more restrictive and lets be honest you can’t visit Vegas, go
snowboarding in the mountains and surf all in the same day can you? But in
SoCal this is totally possible. How many microbreweries in Rhode Island sell
their beer across the country and are well known? What big fashion styles
have been created there? What big fads accepted by society were created
there? What has Rhode Island done as a first that was a big todo in the news
this past century?

Lisa R

Born and raised in Cali. Would love to get the fuck out. Allergies are
horrible from the shitty ass polluted air and they take half of your check in
taxes. California sucks. Be prepared if you want to live here. You better bend
over grease up cuz your getting fucked with taxes.

underground72

Lancaster California is great for folks suffering with allergies or
Phoenix, Arizona..

underground72

This must be the white experience of California because I nevered said gnar
or dude..Born and raised in Los Angeles and it is so weird when people talk to
me about the weather. It’s generally the same year around and the least of my
concerns, unless it’s raining of course. I do agree with the article in
regards to avocados. If you travel to other areas in the U.S., for example
the south, do not offer avocado as an option on your burger plus no tortillia
chips and salsa. In New Orleans, you can’t get bacon on your burgers either. I
visited Port of Calls in New Orleans and they didn’t offer fries instead a
baked potato.

Driving the PCH if you live in the core of L.A. is only for the weekends
to go to the beach unless you live in Malibu where there is no other option.
In regards to earthquake, the Northridge and the San Francisco earthquake were
the worst. Anything else is consider just a little shake in my book.

In regards to asking for a soda in a different state they look at you
crazy. Everyon else call it pops. I asked for a coffee cake in PA and they
thought I was nuts..

BoomBam!

The white experience? Has nothing to do with color man, I’m a “black”
girl born and raised in SD. I’ve def said “gnar” before or ‘gnarley” and
“wicked”…It’s just you lol

Skyline

You said “gnar” and “wicked”? What part of Daygo are you
from?

underground72

For real? Of course there are exceptions to one’s life experience
because we are a diverse group of people. I can only assume you were
either raised in a non-black community or bused to a non-black community
for your education. Matter of fact, I can even say gnar was not even said
in the Asian, Latino or other community as well at least not around the
greater Los Angeles area. It’s definitely a sufer or beach community term
mainly populated by the white community.

Now, I didn’t say there was anything wrong with those terms but I said
it wasn’t a “minority” experience of L.A specifically a black experience
of California unless you were raised in a non-minority area. In
conclusion, hooray for you!!! You must feel really special then the
average inner city blacks..

The Un/Imposter

lol. got her.

fatties dont float

thats because black people cant swim…simple fact

underground72

Well that was an original statement.. And you are so funny too
writing it..

It’s ridiculous that I’m responding to this but I have to education
the ignorant people who do not know they are ignorant. Maybe you watch
too much media about black folks (see I’m trying to give you a pass
here).

FYI- LA or Southern California is year around sunny where many
folks of all colors have pools in their back yards plus go to the
beach on a regular basis when school is out since it so close. Maybe
black people in other states do not swim but the black folks in the
greater Los Angeles swim on a regular basis. If they do not have a
pool in their backyard just about every neigborhood park have a inside
plus an outdoors pool and give swimming lesson for free just like they
do in non-black neighborhood. If by chance you see a black woman
around the pool area and she doesn’t jump in its not because she can’t
swim she just doesn’t want to mess up her hair.

Be well if you know how to do that..

#4isSOtrueSMH

Also, if youll notice, the author isn’t white lol

underground72

Good point but he was adopted by a white family and lived in a white
beach community therefore his experience is such… He is speaking from
that point of view..

Pablo Martin Podhorzer

Feeling pride for burgers = FAIL.

Keith Piper

I used to live in Southern California and moved 18 yrs. ago to a midwestern
state. Nothing beats the culture of California, but one of the reasons a left
was there were too many cars and even tough a rapid transit system was being
developed it was not sufficient. There was the attitude of many Californians
about mass transit that went something like this, “I’m in favor of it,
because I then can have the freeways to myself, which is utterly ignorant. The
main reason I left was because of the bad air, even though it was better than
it was in 1960 when I first arrived. Hight taxes were a killer also. I love
to winter in Calif, though.

brock

I call california Cali all the time, calling it california sounds more
insulting than saying cali IMO So Cal all the way.

underground72

Freaking Notorious B.I.G. rapping about California and coining a saying..
Now people can not stop saying Cali. Maybe I will rap about New York and
call it Newie Yorkie or Philadelphia and call it Philly oops its already
called that.. lol

Joseph Dang

Don’t forget LL Cool J said it first.

underground72

Busted. You are completely correct.. Not young though, just old
enough to forget about LL Cool J the rapper’s original version
especially when I just think of him as an actor
now.

danieldupree15

That’s honestly the stupidest abbreviation for California on Earth I
believe you should go fall off a cliff if you actually use that term to
mention California.

Kayla

No, it should say if you were born in a beach town. I’m from Southern
California, and I’ve lived in Northern California- no one says “dude” and
“gnarly” that much unless your from Encinitas, or some beach town. It’s not a
bad thing, just not very accurate.

underground72

I totally agree..

#4isSOtrueSMH

I agree with gnar(ly) …I have literally never even heard of that until
now.
But I say “dude” hella! lol

Hella Fella

Gnarley was a surf word in the 80′s. Is it a retro thing to bring it
back, like bringing back those awful wayfarer
sunglasses.

North Coast Rider

Definitely skewed toward carnivorous young people from Southern California.
I am a fifth generation San Franciscan, and while I do eat a lot of avocados
and say “dude” on occasion, I rarely eat burritos, never ate at In-n-Out, and
never use the terms “gnarly” or “PCH.” But I do agree that the use of the
term “Cali” is an insult to the state and is only used by under-educated
people who were either not born here, whose parents were not born here, or who
are very young.

underground72

I thought the same thing. Why no mention of the Bay area? You can not
mention California and not mention the Bay.. The title should be change to
“11 signs you were born in the SoCal beach community”..

Darren Reed

You lived in California you’re whole life and never had In-N-Out? That’s
hard to believe!

Danielle

I think In n Out has only been in Northern California for less than 20
years.

North Coast RIder

Well, I have been a vegetarian for most of my life, so there would be
no reason for me to eat there. My brother, however, loves the place;
which is strange, because he is *mostly* a vegetarian, except when it
comes to In-N-Out…

Cliff Watson

You forgot to mention Tommy’s and Del Taco too… It’s the
trifecta

underground72

Yes! And the taco trucks..

underground72

Maybe he didn’t have Tommy’s in his neigborhood. You know how those beach
area are limited fastfood places..

JoshSP2022

Because Tommy’s and Del Taco suck ass.

casie

and down here in southern california we have five guys
anyways

Brandon

Y’all sound like SoCal bitches #NorCal

Justin

“Take ‘The’ 15 to ‘The’ 60 to ‘The’ 57″ Apparently putting ‘The’ in front
of freeways and highways is a Southern California thing.

#4isSOtrueSMH

Nope I’m NorCal alll day… and I just took The 5 home… <3
lmao

Jim Vasconcellos

You must be pretty young and influenced by So Cal. Listen to the news
and traffic more & you will find you are an exception that proves the
rule.

Danielle

Not to jump on the SoCal Vs NorCal thing, but I take 680 to 580 to 5.
No “the” but I had to stop and say it both ways to be sure.

Dylan Hallman

Yeah I got that a lot when I moved to Portland. I didn’t realize it was a
thing.

michaelangelo

and take the 57 to the 210 and you can be right back where you started
from!

Joseph Dang

“When you go home later take 5.”

Take 5 what? A five minute break? 5 people with me? Take 5 what?

Southern California got this one right

Danielle

If you lived in the Bay Area you wouldn’t be confused.

Joseph Dang

I’m up there part time. I’m not confused just having some good fun
with the original poster.

Hella Fella

I-5 dumbass, take I-5. Hey maybe in those early snoop dog albums he was
just giving directions, from the 5 to the 4 to the 3 to the 2 to the 1. I
hope you found that hella funny.

Castle Brusa

guess you must of never been to sf lol

Becky

My family has been here for about 4 generations. California blood runs deep
with this girl. I live in Santa Cruz which is a small coastal city about two
hours south of San Francisco with a population made up mostly of UC Santa Cruz
students (current and former), hippies and people who work in Silicon Valley.
This guy is obviously from Southern California. I’m worried about moving away
for college because, no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop saying ‘dude’, but
other than that I guess I’m not very californian. I don’t like burgers, I am
familiar with the concept of snow, I love rain, I understand why people live
other places (except maybe Florida), everybody can understand my english and I
don’t drive. We here actually have a term for the people who fit in this list,
especially when it comes to speech (saying hella, gnarley, omg, sick, etc.).
We call them “valley girls/boys” because they usually come from the central
valley. This term insinuates shallowness of character and general gullibility.
I find this list inaccurate.

avogrado

the whole ‘valley’ thing is awful…. i’m from san jose and people
automatically tell me to go home before they get to know me after they here
about my home town. all my family lives in santa cruz and i never quite fit
in with most of the people in SJ. i mean come on, i’ve seen tshirts and
bumper stickers saying ‘valley, go home’
really….

Becky

I don’t know about those bumper stickers, but I’ve got several friends
who live in San Jose. They commute to Santa Cruz for school which is crazy
but they aren’t what I would call ‘valley girls’. In my world, that term
has little to do with where they come from and only applies to people who
actually fit the stereotype. I won’t judge somebody by where they live but
I will judge them for saying ‘hella’.

Sarah M

Oh sheesh. “Hella” was born out of the Bay Area in the late 80s, not
the Central Valley. And “the valley” has always referred to the San
Fernando Valley.

Respect your elders. We were metal. Very few of you millenials will
ever have any experiences like ours. Your lives have been
pre-determined. Cleansed for your safety.

You’ll spend the next 20 years searching for yourself, only to
realize it ain’t about you. You’ll spend your days heads down staring at
your smartphones or in front of your computer screens, missing out on
real life. Pretending to be makers but making very little of actual
value. Your relationships will be as fleeting as snapchat, your
friendships conducted via WhatsApp.

Yes, please judge those of us who say hella. We wouldn’t trade our
lives for yours for anything.

Becky

Dude, chill out man.
In any case, I don’t appreciate your sweeping generalizations. You
don’t know me. I agree that most of my generation will probably end up
like that, but definitely not all of us. And what do you think the
previous generation thought of you? Did they think you were just the
coolest people ever? Did they look at each other and say “Gee, why
couldn’t our generation have been more like that”? I don’t think
so.

Sarah M

Isn’t it fair to respond to sweeping generalizations with sweeping
generalizations? :-).

Okay, I went on a little bit of a rant. Easy to do on a message
board. However based on my recent experience working with millenials,
my guess is 8/10 will live the life I roughly outlined. That said, the
other 2/10 may actually change the world. Some of you are wicked
smart.

PS: My previous generation said we were all slackers. They were
mostly right. But it’s been hella fun ;-).

Danielle

I think I love you

Danielle

Becky, your age is showing.
I was born and raised in the Bay Area,
then lived in Santa Cruz for ten years, and I’m now in the Central
Valley. First the “Valley” slam is Silicon/Santa Clara Valley, not the
Central Valley. When you step out of your little world for school, you
might learn they are not the same place.
Hella is not a Central
Valley term. Santa Cruz has a large vocabulary all it’s own. How
judgmental, and naive you are. So typical of my experience of the
natives in your chil, no grind, homeless coddling
community.

Hella
Fella

There is probably a top 10 stereotypes list JUST for Santa
Cruz

T

being “valley” is used to describe people from the San Fernando valley.
Since i’ve moved up to San Francisco i’ve heard people refer to others as
“valley” but have no idea where the San Fernando valley is (where i am
from!)

nothing important about this post, it’s just a thought i
had.

Becky

It used to be location specific. Now it’s just an insult. I think it’s
like calling someone an ass. You’re not saying that they’re actually a
donkey, you’re just saying that they’re annoying. Being “valley” doesn’t
necessarily mean you’re from the San Fernando Valley any more, even though
it used to. (I do know where the San Fernando Valley
is.)

Benjamen D Smith

Dude, Jarret, #8 is wrong. We have Heavenly, Mammoth, and Big Bear!
California is the only place you can snowboard, skateboard, and surf /ski,
skate, and water ski / snowmobile, motorcycle, and pwc (or any combination
thereof), all in the same day!

Pvck

Ha. This writer isn’t from Cali.

CaliHali

Cali born and raised… and most Californians call it Cali… its weird you
think we don’t.

Gage Hinman

Someone delete the part about saying “hella” as quick as possible, please.
We don’t need that rep hahaha

Kimber

Interesting. I was born and raised in So Cal, and know plenty of people
who refer to California as Cali. And, it’s tacos, Dude.

underground72

True no one talks about burritos but they do mention Tacos and the Taco
truck…

Alison Seil

Totally have never called it “cali”! California, californ-i-a and socal for
sure, but never cali. tastes weird on my tongue.

Indigo Mordant

12. Your local museum has a special exhibit on the history of Yoga
13.
Your local museum’s special exhibit on the history of Yoga has a “post your
memories” board
14. One of those memories reads, “I was born in a yoga
studio. Namaste.”

Loraine McCalister

Yeah…I live in Northern California and I only relate to a few of these. The
joke where i live is that we are a bunch of inbred hicks, which does describe
a few of my family members. We don’t understand Southern California. At all.
Snow for us means those of us with 4-wheel drive get to make some extra cash
thanks to the idiots getting themselves stuck in said snow. I do not consider
snow to be a few inches. I call that a dusting. Snow is a couple feet. I do
love In-n-Out. My favorite is the 4 x 4 just meat and cheese with french fries
and a vanilla shake to dip them in. Yes. We are awesome drivers and no matter
how bad our vehicle looks or sounds, we do know how to make them move like a
little race car. We even name our cars. Mine is called Rachet after the
Transformer. We don’t say hella or gnarly. It drives us nuts. My personal
thing is when can I leave California? I’d love to.

jennie

False. Nothing wrong with “Cali” (If you’re from Cali and say it with a
Californian accent). Source: Third generation Californian. And all my
Californian friends are total wusses about earthquakes.

deestin

Most of this list is just so cal bull shit. Not hating, but it’s
true…

JoshSP2022

Neither I, nor anyone I know from Cali (and yes, many California natives do
call it “Cali”), have ever used the word “gnar.” That is the single most
idiotic thing I’ve ever read.

I’ve also hear more about tacos than burritos.

drugfan

wheres the drug use ?

Riley A Wooten Jr.

“Gnar, hella, gnarly” seriously? 1996 called and wanted its slang back. Im
also sick of dbags claiming “natives dont call it Cali” WRONG! Hipster fags
dont call it Cali. The rest of show that Cali love all
day.

http://lacycooke.blogspot.com/ Lacy
Cooke

I’m from Nor Cal but lived in SB for five years, so I can still appreciate
just about everything on this list. I moved to Connecticut six months ago and
miss California! The word “Cali” drives me crazy. I cringe every time I hear
it. It just doesn’t ever need to be uttered. Ever.

Travel RN

If only we all had the luxury of getting to live somewhere based soley on
days of sunshine per year. Ps – San Fran and the Napa Valley aside, you’re
lacking culture… Burgers and burritos don’t count.

Flippycanoo2

There are no good burgers in SoCal, especially In and Out and that horrid
Fat Burger. NYC has a best burger contest each yr for a reason. Ppl from
California don’t know what pure meat tastes like just like the British don’t
know what smoking pure weed is.

bircall

What particularly about the burgers in New York differ from other
burgers? Also, what the hell is “pure” meat? 100% Beef? Every joint uses
that.

Dylan Servings

*Southern California… Im from the bay and we fasho dont act like
this!

http://www.alonewithmytea.blogspot.com Julie

Born and raised in California, and I’ve never used the words “gnarly,
hella, or dank.” People who talk like that sound so uneducated. But I do
identify with everything else on the list, especially #6, #8, and
#11!

Jay

No Cal = Kooks!

Mike Farneti

Born and raised here, don’t say “dank” nor “hella”. It snows and rains all
the time where I’m from. I’ve heard the term “Cali spoken by people I grew up
with. I do not eat avocado nor do I have any Idea what the PCH is. Some of you
should travel past Sacramento up to real “NorCal”, it’s a whole different
world up here.

Brandi Bartlett

Born & raised in California (northern) and have never liked In &
Out. And I love the rain.

DorkFromUpNorth

YES @disqus_lDqNFTZoBo:disqus This article is completely for someone from
Southern California. I would say the only one that rings true with all of
California is number #1. PCH? haha completely Southern
Californian.

Justin

In and out is eh. It’s best enjoyed by tourists who think holister and in
and out are california staples. avocado is good… guac is better. snow does not
“freak” us out, but is wonderful, just as long as we don’t have to live in it.
I personally, and nobody that I know has a pch playlist… all our playlists are
geared for the beach. Born and raised in Huntington Beach…right down by da
beech =)

toobusytocare

Seems when these California things are said, they don’t take the older
generation into account. We NEVER say Cali..some of us are allergic to
avocadoes and In and Out was considered a Southern California thing, until
recently. Nevada and Arizona also have In and Out. Because of the lack of jobs
in California, in general, I am now paying payroll taxes in Arizona..bye bye
California…I’m finally making a life.

Ms Stasia

Dude….Snow! im guilty of “why do you live there”

calibear

It’s rather difficult to put 30 million people into an 11 sided box, isn’t
it? We all have our own expressions shaped by our community, our family, our
education and our geographical location. But for the record, this native
Californian cringes at the word “Cali”, kinda like when someone scratches
their nails on a chalkboard.

Darren Reed

If you live in the Valley (Central Valley), you pray for rain cause the air
quality sucks! I agree with others that gnarly is mainly a beach thing, but
plenty of younger people use the terms “Cali”, and
“hella.”

Francisco Leon

The only thing that I would deem as exclusively SoCal is topic #9 and only
because it refers to PCH and the 5. Also being from the bay, traffic is
equally as bad. Other than that it describes all those born and raised in
California spot on.

Nathan A. Oberly

Ehhh yeeeaaah no. I was born and raised in Santa Maria and I’m barely any
of this. I do have an insatiable love for avocados and stop into In-N-Out when
I want a cheap, perfect binge. Otherwise, it sounds like this list came from a
pot-head/surfer/hippy. I don’t hear the term Cali very often, I actually love
the opportunity to be in the snow *and* inclement weather. It doesn’t rain
enough here but when it does its just glorious for my soul. It makes me want
to move to a place like London, ironically, to have more of those days. And
I’m sorry…no one with at least a well earned diploma, they didn’t have to
cheat to get, says dank and gnarly all the time. Once in a long while we’ll
slip but I tend to use better vocabulary then most. You know you’ve got issues
if you do. God bless bros.

Darkwaters

First one falls short. I am born and raised & have always called it
“Cali”. Lived 20 years in the Bay Area and always called SF “Frisco” or SJ
“San Jo”.

Darkwaters

By the way, born in San Diego (10 years) then San Jose (20
years)

Aldo1887

I can’t give any credibility to someone claiming to be an author using the
word “suckiest.” PS. this person (can’t call him an author) should also try
backing about 50-100miles away from the coast and driving north, guess what?
People LIVE there too!! and it is still California!! (we are not all
avocado-eating douchebags who can’t write and use the word
“gnar.”)

Nick Maddocks

I have a friend from RI and she rather live here

Curtis

The first one is dumb. Calling California “California” would be like call
your mom by her first name. Calling California “Cali” is more similar to
calling her mom. Someone derped pretty hard….

Shelbie Lyn Sinople

I still call it Cali. Hell, I even named my dog Cali.

RoninEditor

Nobody in SoCal says “gnar” – ever. Super poserish to say that. Back in
the 80′s, yeah, maybe early 90′s. It’s like someone still saying “radical” or
“bodacious” while wearing Croakies.

james

I was born and raised in Cali number 1 is false

http://garridon.wordpress.com/ Linda
Adams

I was raised in Los Angeles, but I’m in Virginia. I so agree about snow.
I have never gotten used to the white stuff.

dan

“get over yourself, dude. seriously, you shudder? hella hecka hella hecka
hella hecka you shuddering yet? chill out w some girl scout cookies and stop
the shakes.”

Hahahahaha!! This shit right here is what I love about California. We’re
pretty fucken funny. It’s no joke when a Californian gets on a roll, you have
to just step back and let em go. Watch an East Coaster just glaze over with
their confused stare.
And stop saying “Frisco & Cali, you sound like a
tool. Thanks LL for that lame ass song.

Bella T

dude, no hella….

Chelchwick

NorCal raised, living in SoCal. People from Cali call it Cali, drivers here
are the worst, our rep as a state is worse than Jersey, snow might freak
people out from SoCal (I guess that’s who also says “gnar”), and I think
that’s all I disagree with. I’m guessing this is pretty SoCal
biased.

Christopher Urteaga

I’ve never written a comment on a blog, or publications, or any
media-related entries online… but I have to say, I’m proudly born and raised
in Cali, and this list is just stupid. Shout out to all my real Cali people
from the southern end, to the central valley, all the way to the
‘yay!

Calcifer

I seriously don’t relate to a single thing listed
here…

http://twitter.com/DeniseIvanoff
DeniseIvanoff

I am from Southern California. I never heard the word “hella” until I moved
to NYC and had a co-worker from San Francisco.

ImgoingoingbackbacktoCALI

I’m a California-born native and this made me hate us a little bit. All
these articles should just be renamed “# reasons why this particular type of
group/people are awesome”. Every reason is filled with inflated egotistical
drivel.

TaTonka

Agree with some of the other comments. The should be titled “11 Signs You
Were Born and Raised in SOUTHERN California”

bob

Horrible article. i feel like im in high school readung this.

Kate

There is In-N-Out on the east coast ya know…. Just sayin’. Neither is
“hella” specific to CA, north or south. That said, I’ve lived here 5 years
and I still like it, so it must be OK lol.

Koalakitty

Not a single one of these applies to me….

CJDaniel

I drive PCH everyday to work and to school, no special playlist. Avocados
yes, and yes if not in California, when people ask where you live, “LA” (its
easier than saying the OC)

MaryMactavish

Dude, we were saying “hella” in the seventies. (In Northern California. In
the snow, which was outside the front door.)

http://www.ssaarabians.homestead.com Victoria
Jensen

I was born and raised out there in Southern California, until I was 16, I
now live in TN and am so glad my parents had the insight to get the hell out
of there years ago. California has gone to the shits if you ask me. Not to
mention the cost of living and all the damn liberals I will never go
back.

kyle

to be honest i call california “Cali” all the time at least when i welcome
newcomers to california ill be like “Hey welcome to
CALI!!!!!!

Christina Chapman-Whitehouse

The “Cali” thing is BS and needs to stop being on stupid lists. I was born
and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I have lived here my whole life (30 years)
with the exception of going off to college. I’ve called it Cali forever and
so have all my friends. Saying California all the time is just too many
damned syllables. And also the hella thing. When I was in junior high, this
was a strictly norcal thing, but it isn’t anymore. It migrated and people say
it all over Cali now. So just get over it people! However, I agree with the
rest of the list (even though the Beach Boys are not on any of my playlists).
While I lived on the the east coast (Philly for 2yrs of grad school), I was
dying for legit mexican food and In-N-Out. Aghhh.

RealBurgerLover

In-N-Out is the most overrated restaurant – of any genre – on the planet.
Never had anything but an anemic excuse of a burger there. And I’m from
California, born and raised.

Dd

I was born and raised in California and over half of this list is nonsense.
I guess I just left before the stupidness of this crap set in. And everyone
still there that I know calls it Cali!!!

yaknowhat?

Hella, hecka, those I’ve heard most in central Cali. No one says
gnarly/gnar. Except for a few select people who were either teens 20-40 years
ago, or who are tryna to “get down to young people’s level”.

Some Californians hate In-N-Out (the comida is greasier than McDonald’s,
and the buildings are just repulsive. What’s the grade?)! And Shake Shack
isn’t just an “East Coast” thing. Also, in central/northern Cali there are a
whole lot of vegetarians and vegans. Just saying.

And another thing, outside of California, NO ONE calls it “Cali”; if you
say something about “Cali”, no one knows what you’re talking about. I’ve only
heard “Cali” in California.

And why would someone not want to live in California:
-Smog
-Over
crowded
-No jobs
-Everything is so expensive
(I’m defending my
California-born mom here)

And just because the fresh food is delicious and cheap, the ocean is
beautiful, the forests are beautiful, and the mountains are beautiful, doesn’t
mean you have to be a complete a** about it.

“Act tough”? Most of the earth quakes are NOTHING! Like literally, you
think that maybe someone jumped on your wooden floor, not that there was a
mini earthquake. (Of course the big ones are, well, big, however, exactly how
often do they happen?

What kind of sheltered person gets freaked out over snow? Californians
watch so many movies… snow is nothin!

But fresh food, cheap, fresh food is just one of the most wonderful things
of California! Avocados, oranges (So Cal), artichokes, strawberries (Monterey
Bay area), everything is just so delicious and cheap!

California is super great:
-Fresh, cheap, delicious food
-Variety of
food stores (Asian, Mexican, etc.)
-Multiple delicious fast food and
dine-in options

-Wonderful ocean

-Many state parks
-Gorgeous mountains
-Beautiful deserts
-The
weather to enjoy it
-Many great people

Just sayin’ it how I see it.

maniac

You know what the trouble with California is?, its full of
Californians

sbebes

Author isn’t Californian… He said “the 5″. Nobody i know here says ” the”
before the freeway names.

Loufca

It’s a So Cal thing.

Barbara Yaffee

True!

Blueriku

Notice how no one is mentioning the Inland Empire, what it ppl only talkin
about L.A. and O.C. being Californian but everything else apparently doesn’t
exists =/

Michael Davis

I never heard the phrase SoCal or Norcal until I moved up north (due to
work) otherwise I would have stayed in San Diego.

https://www.facebook.com/SPX.clothing PK

Totally agree on the “Cali” thing. Every single new transplant from the
mid-west, texas, or the East Coast will call our state “Cali” That’s the 1st
clue that they are not from here. 2nd would be there kooky Aviators. And it’s
true that we are the best drivers, it’s just all the out of towners, all lost
that crash in the rain driving way too fast. And speaking of rain. I love it!
Oh and snow- I don’t freak out, I want more of it! I was born and raised in So
Cal. I ski, I surf, I can drive in the snow and rain, I don’t say “hella”
cause I’m not from Nor-Cal. I also wish half the people here would go back
home so we could actually get somewhere on the freeway~and we’d never have to
hear “Cali” ever again!

Raygun

Actually, I moved to Los Angeles from Dallas FT Worth 12 years ago. I
have never called Califnoria “Cali” its sound stupid, just like saying
“totes” or “delish”…phrases I hear DAILY in this city. My friends in DFW
have never referred to CA as “cali” either.

Drivers here SUCK..plain and simple. There is no respect on the freeway
and LOL CA drivers in the rain. Texas drivers learn to drive in the rain,
snow, sleet, ice, black ice and everything below and above. CA Drivers are a
joke (BTW CA, the CA DMV driving hand book says to stay the hell out of the
fast lane/passing lane if you are going slow…this means
99.99999999999999999999% of you morons.

Melodee

All the Northern CA vs. Southern CA arguments were funny until you people
got mean and started insulting peoples beliefs. Come on: some people like
redwoods and a cool breeze and some people like warm weather and palm trees.
Ya’ll are starting to get hella butthurt so I’m gonna’
bail.

Maddie

i know a bunch of people born and raised here that call it
cali

iRokk

Yeah, man, balls to Five Guys. They opened a couple near me, and all I
could say was that it tasted homemade. If I wanted a homemade burger, I’d make
it myself. I go to In N Out because it’s a taste I can’t recreate on my
own!

Sidenote: friends don’t let friends say “hella”.

novowel4me

How the language has evolved: in the late ’60′ in coastal SOCAL : bitchin,
groovey, bummer and “far out” were popular.

Eric

The fact that you even mentioned Ke$ha negates anything you ever have to
say on anything at all.

matt ernst

only got 6 as a someone born and raised on the other side of the Grapevine
north.

Eric

I grew up on the east coast, and I never want to go back. That’s a sign of
living in CA!

I don’t get the NorCal v. SoCal thing, as both simply have different things
to offer. San Francisco and San Diego are my two favorite cities in the
world, and I’m comparing them to places like Rome, Florence, Cannes, Helsinki,
Stockholm . . . the best of Western Europe.

Funny that so many LA/OC types are denying that San Diego is part of their
“SoCal,” as those areas are totally lame compared to San Diego. Don’t get me
wrong; I love L.A., but you can’t compare it to San
Diego.

williamo

A playlist for the PCH? A special occasion for driving it? What!?
I use
PCH almost every single day. It’s nothing special, at least not our congested
portion between here (Santa Monica) and Malibu.

Plus, In-N-Out burger? That’s the burger joint equivalent of Runyon Canyon
-a place tourists *think* is what locals do but actually most people prefer
other places.

This entire article sounds like it was written by a tourist that just
stepped off the plane at LAX.

And yes, I did just quote Miley Cyrus.

Cami

Besides the mention of “hella”, this is a Southern California list.. I’m
from San Francisco and we dont do most of these (except for mayb the burrito
mentioning. Who doesnt love a great burrito? Hehe)

Akrovah

Yeah….i’ve lived in California my while life, and while I’m with you in the
burrittos, I’m sorry but In-N-Out is terrible. I much prefer Five Guys or
Smash Burger

Katherine Wilburn

very few of these actually apply to me, or anyone I knew who was born and
raised in CALI (because where I’m from in California, that’s how we say it).
Yes we say Hella, no we don’t say gnarly or dank. Been abroad with other
californian’s (living in Alaska with a rather large number of people from my
home town) and we talk about mexican food in general rather than burritos. It
rains where I’m from. Rains so much in fact that every ten years the levees
break and floods to the rooftops, and we’re not upset by snow because weekends
mean trips to Lake Tahoe to go snowboarding.

You know what I hate most about these articles? They always include
“hella” like it’s a nod to Norcal, like you’re somehow including those of us
who hail from the Northern (and some say best) part of the state but in
reality, we might as well be from different planets instead of different parts
of the state.

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